This Year, I Will

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As we turn the corner toward Fall, we continue to face severe uncertainty about the future. Everything feels like it is in flux, while we are left to wait for life to settle down into the new normal—whatever that will be. But while we are in this seemingly perpetual holding pattern, we need to resist the inclination to put our walk with God on hold as well. The expectations that God had of us last year are the same expectations that He has for us this year—and, if possible, even more so, now that we are being tested in ways we have never been before. Read more

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You Stored Up Treasure

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 22

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Go, now, you who are rich! Weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and the corrosion of them will be to you for a testimony, and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure for yourselves, as if we were not in the last days! Look! the wages of the workmen (…which had been fraudulently withheld by you) cry out…. You lived in luxury upon the earth, and were self-indulgent; you fed your hearts in a day of slaughter…. (יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 5:1-6, mjlt)

By now, it may be a laughable statistic: the “good old days,” when the U.S. national debt was only $25 trillion—of which the debt per tax payer was merely $200,000. This, of course, does not even seem real—it is literally unfathomable—given that the average American has enough trouble with his share of our collective personal debt (mortgages, credit cards and such) totaling $14 trillion. With such a heavy weight, then, it is understandable for us to see the accumulation of wealth as a way out—a rescue from a mounting and unsustainable deficit. But what if achieving financial security is not the answer? What if being rich is actually more risky than simply having enough? Read more

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A Moment of Clarity

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I have had a moment of clarity. Perhaps it won’t be revelatory to you, or perhaps it will open your eyes. But I feel so compelled to share it with you that I created this special section of our website to address what I see as an epic crisis plaguing our country. If you have school-aged children—or know anyone who does, or care about the future of our country—you need to hear this.
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Who Is Teaching the Children?

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by Esther Geoffrey

As the events of 2020 continue to unfold, I can hardly believe that the images I’m seeing are real—the nation I know and love seems to be crumbling before my eyes. Death tolls rise, statues topple, divisions grow deeper, freedoms evaporate, cities burn, and truth seems irrelevant or imperceptible in the midst of the chaos. In the streets, young people cry out for change and revolution, parroting phrases they can’t explain and shouting slogans they can’t defend. Where did all this come from? How did we get here?
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What Homeschooling Is, And Why We Love It!

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by Isaac, Josiah & Hosea Geoffrey

“But I’m not a teacher!” “I don’t have an educational degree.” “Children need socialization!” Making major life changes isn’t easy, and oftentimes, simple misconceptions can keep us from even considering them. But although homeschooling—like most things worth doing—requires a certain level of dedication, it is accessible to everyone. There are abundant resources to help anyone become a successful homeschooling parent. We want to clear up some misunderstandings and tell you what homeschooling really is, so that you can see why we love it so much and how it could work in your life.
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Homeschooling: Where to Start!

Artwork: “Fish Tank World” by Asher Geoffrey (age 6)

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Here are some resources to get you started on your homeschool journey! And you can also contact us—we want to help you!

*Actively verify the contents of your Bible curriculums with the Bible!
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Do Good, Or It Is Sin

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 21

To him, then, who is knowing how to do good, but is not doing it, it is sin to him. (יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 4:17, mjlt)

Sin is one of those tricky subjects with which we, as believers in Yeshua, have a tendency to play fast and loose. We know in our heads and hearts what is right and wrong, but when it comes to applying that knowledge to our lives, we like to lean as far as we can into the grey. It is from that compromised position, then, that Scripture can become twisted or misconstrued in our minds. This is why some believers will defend their sin by saying it’s a matter of conscience, and not all so-called sin is the same. In other words, “it is sin to him” (as the Scriptures say) is actually a statement of relativity (so some of us believe), and, therefore, what is sin for you is not sin for me. Read more

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If the Master Wants, We Will Live

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 20

Go, now, you who are saying, “Today or tomorrow we will go on to such-a-city, and we will pass the time there for a year, and do business, and make a profit”—you who do not even know the things of the next day! What is your life? For you are a vapor that is appearing for a little while, and then is vanishing. Instead of saying, “If the Master wants, we will live and do this or that,” as it is, you boast in your pride. All such boasting is evil! (יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 4:13-16, mjlt)

Though much of life is spent preoccupied by the now, in our hearts, we are always looking forward. While we may not often permit our minds to think or dream or hope too much about the future, deep inside, we live there—longing for the mended, the safer, the better. So when we do get down to deliberately planning, we plan not only for the start, but the end. We move forward—sometimes with trepidation, but most times with expectations—wishing for and predicting our happiness and success. Read more

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Speak Not, Judge Not, Do Not

Exploring the Book of Ya’aqov, Pt. 19

Speak not one against another, brothers. He who is speaking against a brother, or is judging his brother, speaks against תּוֹרָה, Torah and judges the תּוֹרָה, Torah. And if you judge תּוֹרָה, Torah, you are not a doer of תּוֹרָה, Torah, but a judge of it. One alone is the Giver of תּוֹרָה, Torah and Judge who is able to save and to destroy. But you—who are you to be judging the neighbor? (יַעֲקֹב Ya’aqov 4:11-12, mjlt)

In times of tension and stress, it is not unusual to respond aggressively to disagreement and discord. It is not unusual, but it is unhelpful, as aggression rarely yields a harmonious outcome. The words we speak to one another, then, become influenced by our distorted views of our perceived opponent. This unrighteous evaluation affects whether we deem that person worthy of our civility, honesty and respect—as if our judgment should have the power to adjust our kindness. While it may seem natural to have such a bias toward those we view as enemies, it is especially heinous when we practice this behavior with our own “brothers” and “neighbors”—when we speak against our fellow believers in Messiah. Read more

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Patterns of Preparation

A Special Message for the Feast of Matzah

The religions of man do their best to prepare us for days and times of spiritual significance. Though many adherents do not strictly follow the schedule of their sects, these groups often—with all sincerity—establish systems to guide their followers into times of spiritual preparedness. To that end, many find significance in patterns, leading to the construction of doctrinal and devotional traditions. Read more

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